Known Issue: Usage is not tracked for executable files in the installation directory of a Windows Installer package that are not identified as an MSI component key file, even if UseAddRemove preference is set to true (IOJ-2203434)

[#1]

Summary

When the usage agent's UseAddRemove preference is set to true on a managed device running a Microsoft Windows operating system, usage should generally be metered for all executables under an installation directory that is identified for any package in the Add/Remove Programs registry area. However due to this issue, usage may not be metered for such executables if:

1. The program was installed by a Windows Installer package, and
2. The executable is not explicitly identified a "key" file in a component in the Windows Installer package.

Symptoms

Look for the symptoms like the following to identify this issue. The examples given here illustrate symptoms for an executable associated with the Foxit PhantomPDF package for which usage is not being metered.

1. Add/Remove Programs registry entries for a package of interest include the registry entry WindowsInstaller with the value 1. For example, under a registry key like HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall{some-GUID} you see entries like:
   • DisplayName = Foxit PhantomPDF
   • InstallLocation = C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit PhantomPDF\
   • WindowsInstaller = 1
2. The usage agent's UseAddRemove preference is set to true. This can be confirmed by seeing the following line in usage agent logging:

   [5/20/2021 6:55:38 AM (G, 0)] {2776} Started augmenting product cache with Add/Remove data
   

3. The installation directory of the package does not appear in usage agent logging following the "Started augmenting product cache with Add/Remove data" line.
4. Usage agent logging shows other files from the package being added to the product cache following the "Starting augmenting product cache with MSI data" log message:

   [5/20/2021 6:55:29 AM (G, 0)] {2776} Started augmenting product cache with MSI data
   [...]
   [5/20/2021 6:55:30 AM (G, 0)] {2776} Adding product 'Foxit PhantomPDF' (priority 10) to product cache
   [5/20/2021 6:55:30 AM (G, 0)] {2776} Adding file 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit PhantomPDF\FoxitPhantomPDFUpdateService.exe' to product 'Foxit PhantomPDF'
   

5. Usage agent logging shows a session logged for the executable under the package's installation directory, with the executable identified as being from an "UNKNOWN PRODUCT" (and hence the session is not metered):

   [5/20/2021 6:56:39 AM (G, 0)] {2776} Session logging: UNKNOWN PRODUCT Session (Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit PhantomPDF\FoxitPhantomPDF.exe, product is unknown) Session will not be added to cache.
   

Workaround

Manual mapper settings can be configured in the registry on each Windows managed device to configure the usage agent to meter usage for selected explicitly identified executables of interest.

Fix status

This issue has been fixed in the following FlexNet Manager Suite releases: 2021 R1 (On Premises), 2021 R1 / Jul 2021 (Cloud)

Other information

Affected components: Agent, Usage

Master issue ID: IOJ-2203434

Also known as: FNML-73726